The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Applause Purple.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Impatiens cultivars with compact plant habit and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Sunspot, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 94-526-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Applause Purple was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in controlled environment in Lompoc, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Lompoc, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Sunspot and the male parent selection primarily in flower and leaf color.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Applause Purplexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Applause Purplexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Large, purple-colored flowers.
2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage.
3. Mounded and compact plant habit.
4. Dark green leaves.
5. Tolerant to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Grape Crush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,107. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Grape Crush, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens are shorter and have a more mounded growth habit than plants of the cultivar Grape Crush.
2. Stem color of the new Impatiens is red purple whereas stem color of the cultivar Grape Crush is green with red purple at the nodes.
3. Leaf color of the new Impatiens is dark green with red purple venation whereas leaf color of the cultivar Grape Crush is bright green with green venation.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens have broader leaves than plants of the cultivar Grape Crush.
5. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Grape Crush.
6. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Grape Crush differ, 74A and 78A, respectively.
7. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas peduncles of the cultivar Grape Crush are green in color with a red purple cast.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Kicarl, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,370. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Kicarl, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens have broader leaves than plants of the cultivar Kicarl.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Kicarl.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Kicarl.
4. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Kicarl differ, 74A and 78A, respectively.
5. Flower spur apices of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas flower spur apices of the cultivar Kicarl are red purple in color.
6. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas peduncles of the cultivar Kicarl are red purple in color.